Friday, April 20, 2018

6 more days!

I fell asleep quickly last night – probably because of the exercise – and didn’t wake up until 5am, finally getting up at 6am.

I took a nap from 8:30 to 9am and then watched the first 20 minutes of the Today show.

I did all but one of my exercises in an hour and 50 minutes at the gym.  On the way back to the apt I stopped at Comfama and picked up a free Gente newspaper.

Among new US movie releases there isn’t anything I want to see.  Locally, there isn’t anything I want to see.

I met Chuck at Bartolos at 2:30.  We talked for awhile while watching workers set up a stage and a viewing area in the park.  There was a marching band getting set up that looked like it consisted of only grandmothers.  We walked up to La Vaquita where Chuck bought a meat plate for 5,000 pesos.  I stopped at the Todo Drogos and got a price check on Cialis for a friend: 1 20mg tablet for 25,400; 14 5mg tablets for 109,500; 1 Tadafilo (different brand) 20mg for 10,900.  After Chuck finished his meat plate we stopped at the new bakery for a snack.  While there at the next table was a Dutch guy talking to a Kentucky woman.  We went our separate ways about 5pm.

My headphones still aren’t working.  Maybe it’s time to buy a new pair.

About 7:15 Teresa and Laura went to visit MT.

About 8pm Teresa called me and invited me to join them at Wilson’s bar.  I was there 15 minutes later where I had a delicious chicken shish-kebab.  We left about 9:30.

T-shirt of the day: You can bow down now.

Thursday, April 19, 2018

7 days…and counting.

Last night I fell asleep quickly and didn’t awaken until 5am.  It took me about an hour or more to fall back asleep finally waking at 6am and getting up at 7am.

I received an email from Envios Market that I have a package waiting for pickup.

I watched the first 45 minutes of the Today show and then left in my shorts and t-shirt.

I took the metro and Metro Plus to the Rosales Station where I checked out a bike.  I rode over to the stadium and back.  I retraced my steps to the Industriales station and walked to Mercado del Rio where I had ribs at Piara.  I took a bus to Calle 10 and walked up the hill and through Parque Poblado to Envios Market.  I picked up a package for Teresa for 10,800 which happened to be the perfume she ordered.  I took a bus to Santafe mall and tried once again to make a withdrawal from Falabella’s ATM machine.  On the first try I was told that 600,000 pesos exceeded their limit.  On the next try for 500,000 pesos I was told that “at the moment we have technical problems.”  Sigh!

I walked the long block down to Starbucks where I ordered a white mocca latte and a slice of carrot cake for 16,800.  They still don’t make the coffee hot enough to my liking.  I read news on my cell phone for a while.  I walked across the street where 2 Sabaneta buses passed me before I could get to the other side.

I took the bus to Envigado and stopped at Exito where I bought a head of lettuce and a package of hot dog buns.  Luckily, at this hour – 4pm – the lines were very short.

Andres’ sister came over and picked him up about 7:30.  I understand he will move back here on Saturday and return to San Andres the next day.

Teresa finally informed me that I need to deposit another 198,800 pesos into the account for the gym.

T-shirt of the day: I don’t know how to give a shit.

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

8 days…and counting.

Water was back on when I got up.  Yay!

Teresa gave me 60,000 pesos to cover Andres’ admission to the Dia de Sol.  We left the apt at 8:45 without having any breakfast.  At Mall Laureles the others had coffee or hot chocolate and arepas.  We left with a family of 4 from Rhode Island although the mother was originally from El Salvador.  They all spoke good English.  We stopped at the usual restaurant where I had calentado with eggs and a café con leche.  I’ve covered this day many times before so I won’t go over it again with the exception of unusual things.  I brought my chess set with me and I gave Andres a much needed lesson.  I was getting warm in the afternoon so I decided to take a dip.  Teresa was napping so I dug through her beach bag looking for my swimsuit.  She told me she didn’t bring it.  She asked me why I didn’t remind her.  Well, I didn’t remind her all of the other times and she brought it.  So I wasn’t able to go swimming this time. 

We left a few minutes early, didn’t stop at the restaurant this time and we got through the tunnel about 15 minutes before the 8pm closing.

This time our driver dropped us off at San Diego mall as it was closer to the other family’s house and closer to Envigado for us.  We went inside the mall to quickly buy a few things at Exito but the guard wouldn’t let us in 20 minutes before closing.  The bathrooms were all locked up also.

We stopped at Dogger where we each had a hot dog and shared sodas.

We were back at the apt by 9:15.

T-shirt of the day: You can’t face the problem if the problem is your face.

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

9 days and counting!

Last night I woke up around 2am with heartburn.  I took 2 Tums and had to sit up for awhile before it calmed down and I could get back to sleep.

My headphones aren’t working again.  Sigh!

I left the apt at 8:45 and arrived at the chess league at 9:30.  Jose showed up on time at 10am.  We played 2 games he winning one and I winning one.

For lunch we walked over to El Chaparral where I ordered their pepper steak, baked potato and salad.  They brought me my steak with a plate of French fries and white rice.  I dumped the rice on the gravy covering my steak only to find out that the meat was a little undercooked for my taste.  I asked the waiter for a baked potato and salad and he took my plate and returned it with the French fries and a baked potato and salad.  The steak was tasty although a little rare and a little spicier than I would have liked.

It started raining during our lunch and after Jose got permission for us to play chess at one of their back tables.  Jose won both games.  Sigh!

I returned to Envigado where I stopped at Exito and picked up some burgers, buns, and bread.

When I returned to the apt about 5:30 Andres had all his bags packed and waiting by the door.  I have no idea what’s going on except Teresa is all “shush”.

Teresa also informed me we have no running water.  Yikes!

Esmeralda arrived about 6pm.  Is she taking him for awhile?  I guess I’ll soon know.

Esmeralda left about 7:30 without Andres.

Finally Teresa told me something about he wants to stay a month and she said that’s too long so I understand he’s staying until Sunday and then moving in with his sister in Robedo (an area of Medellin).

Well, I don’t know what to say except Teresa and Andres had words.  At one point Andres went into his bedroom and closed the door and was talking to someone on the phone.  Teresa opened the door and I think told him to leave it open.  About 9:30 I gave Teresa 100mil and Andres left with all his baggage.  Well, that lasted all of 3 days.

Right now he’s sitting on the stairs downstairs and Laura is talking to him.  Teresa told him that’s he’s got to leave Sunday because she works (starts working?) on Monday.

It took a while but they finally got him sitting on the steps outside our door.

By 10:30 they got him back inside.  Oh, the drama.

Teresa says he’s only staying until Sunday.  Then she tells me he’s never been anywhere so she wants us to go to Santafe de Antioquia tomorrow. 

Okay.

Teresa informed me that we're supposed to get water back at 4am tomorrow morning.

T-shirt of the day: There is no off season.

Monday, April 16, 2018

10 days and counting!

I woke up at 2am, again at 4am and had difficulty falling back asleep.  I woke up at 6am and just rested until I got up at 7:30.

Teresa asked me to have Jose help me at the gym to see how much I need to put in Laura’s account.

I gave Teresa 300mil to buy paint for Andres to paint the finca and another 20mil for bus money.

I read that Kraft is going to market a new product – a combination of ketchup and mayo that they will call Mayochup.  First, that’s a stupid name.  Second, they’ve had that here for years – it’s a pinkish sauce called rosado and people put it on burgers, hot dogs and even French fries.

Teresa told me that when she was at the airport one of the presidential candidates was there along with lots of press and photographers.

After Teresa left, someone rang out apartment from downstairs.  Laura didn’t come out to answer it so I picked it up and said my usual “no thank you” and hung up.  A couple minutes later it rang again and I waited and Laura finally came out of her room and answered it.  She told me that someone from the agency (real estate) is downstairs with a paper for me to sign.  How am I going to know what it says?  I went downstairs and a messenger handed me a letter and I had to sign a delivery form on his clipboard.  Back in the apt I quickly figured out that it was an announcement that our monthly rent is going up to 1,596,000 as of May 1^st.  That’s about a $20 increase from last year.

At the gym I did most of my exercises in an hour and 30 minutes.  I had Jose assist me at the main desk and I was told I need to put an additional 49,000 pesos in the account.  (Later Teresa asked me why the girl told her so much more.  I said, “I don’t know, I just did what you asked me.”)

I met Chuck at La Casita Parilla for lunch and Laura soon joined us.  They had the ribs but I was good and had the chicken breast.  We all had mango juice to go with it and the total came to 43,000 pesos (about $16).  Laura left and Chuck and I went to the bakery for coffee.  On our way I started telling him about the black Porsche convertible I saw parked on our block some weeks ago and shockingly we saw it there again.  He said that’s a $75,000 car.  I stopped briefly at Bancolombia and deposited 50mil into Laura’s account.  After coffee I left Chuck at 2:30 and took a bus to Oviedo.  I added 40 mil to my Cine Colombia account (I learned today that’s the minimum you can add) and I bought a general ticket for 10,500.  I bought a small popcorn and medium soda for another 13,200 giving me a remaining balance of 42,950.  The movie was good with lots of military action.  There were only 3 others in the theater.  As I left I noticed that all the coming movies appear to be Marvel superhero type movies – ugh!

When I left (about 5:30) I had the usual wait for a bus.  The first Sabaneta bus that came by didn’t stop because it was full.  I was starting to consider taking a taxi or an Envigado bus that would at least get me close to the park when another Sabaneta bus stopped.  I got on and thought I was the last as I was on the steps not being able to get through the turnstyle but another guy got on and he was on the bottom step.  I was able to stay in that spot as others got off at the back door and the driver let me off right on my street.

Teresa reported to me that it won’t work with Andres painting the finca.  Something about it being too much work.  She gave me 150mil back so I assume they already bought some paint.

Andres wanted to see Parque Envigado so he and Laura left the apt at 9:30.  They were back by 10:15 as I’ll bet there wasn’t much open that late on a weekday night.

T-shirt of the day: I’m the one I have been waiting for.

Sunday, April 15, 2018

I got up once at 2am, again at 3:30 and was awakened by a loud radio outside at 4am – like somebody turned their car on and had left the radio on.  It only lasted for a few seconds but the damage was already done – I was awake.  I questioned that theory when I heard it again a few minutes later.  Sigh!

I didn’t notice Teresa get up until 8am when she was leaving for the airport.  She told me she left her keys at MT’s apt so I should be sure to be back by 10:30 or 11 to let her and Andres in.

I got up and had breakfast (calentado sin arepa) at Carbón de Leña for 8,500.  They have a cute young black waitress working there now.  There was a public exercise class going on in the park with dozens of participants.

Teresa arrived with Andres at 11:20.  First impression, he looks like a street hood.  Or maybe just a country boy.  Hopefully that impression will improve over time.

He brought gifts: 3 boxes of marshmallow pies, 2 boxes of wafer cookies (all made in Chattanooga, TN), 3 bottles of piña colada mix, and 2 bottles of whiskey – interestingly, all in English.

Living on an island I understand he’s never seen mountains – especially interesting since most of Colombia is in the Andes.

At 12:30 it started raining but it only lasted 20 minutes.

Rhetorical question: I wonder what Melania Trump’s definition of a bully is.

I met Chuck at the park about 2pm.  He was already talking to a gringo named Dean from Alabama who turned out to be a very colorful character.  When Dean left we walked to the bakery where we each had dessert with coffee.  While Chuck and I walked thru the park we observed what were apparently random immission tests being performed out of vans on motorcycles and cars.  We soon met up with his wife Darnely.  I finally left about 5pm.

Andres, Laura and Teresa went down the hill to the larger Exito.  I think they were going to sell to someone some of the stuff he brought.

Am I the only one who is sick of hearing on the internet about Carrie Underwood’s face?

I had a talk with Teresa.  I understand Andres wants to make money painting the finca.  I told her that maybe he should have some time to see Medellin.  We agreed that it’s his decision – whatever is most important to him.  I think they will be going to the finca most days now.

T-shirt of the day: Get your fruit on.

Saturday, April 14, 2018

I got up once during the night, woke up at 6am and told Teresa the time.  Surprise, she got up to go to the clinic for her blood draw and give a urine sample.  I fell back asleep and woke/got up at 8am.

She returned while I was taking my shower.

I left the apt at 9:45 and quickly caught a bus to Poblado.  I got off and walked up to Clinica Medellin where I withdrew all 20s from their Servibanca ATM.  I walked the 3 blocks to Envios Market where I picked up my April Chess Life magazine, March Reader’s Digest and a package in a plastic UPS bag.  I paid the 3,600 peso tax and quickly caught an Envigado bus.  I got off at Office Depot and walked across the street and up a block to Starbucks.  I ordered a white mocca latte, extra hot, but it never seems to be hot enough.  I drank it outside in the fresh air while finishing my March Reader’s Digest.  I was there about 45 minutes and then I walked across the street and up to Oviedo mall to their bus stop.  Across the street I observed two young ladies in short jean shorts, t-shirt, and indian headress handing out free bottles of 7-UP.  My Sabaneta bus arrived in about 10 minutes.  I got off at Calle 38Sur and walked through the park to Copatra where I paid the Une bill and the electric bill for the finca.  I stopped at the copy center where I had 2 chess articles printed.  In Exito I picked up a few things and had to wait in line for about 15 minutes.  I was back at the apt by 12:30.

In the package were the two umbrellas I ordered from Shedrain and an iPad cover for Laura I bought on eBay.  I gave the umbrellas to Teresa and Laura and hopefully now they will keep their hands off mine.

About 2:20 it rained hard but stopped after about 30 minutes.

I solved more chess puzzles on Chess Magnet School and was promoted to the title of Defender.

From my April Reader’s Digest, “I can’t think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything.” Bill Bryson, Neither Here Nor There.

The Colombian Peso closed for the week at 2,710 to the US Dollar.

I finished reading the paperback On Wings of Eagles by Ken Follett and downloaded James Patterson’s Along Came a Spider (Alex Cross series #1).

T-shirt of the day: Love & Fuck.